Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Arar Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Arar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,221 in Arar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $1,863 in Arar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $2,506 in Arar.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 1% less than in Arar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Arar 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$6.83 SAR 25.65

7.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$44.99 SAR 169

19.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$7.94 SAR 29.80

0.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.74 SAR 6.54

5.17%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.76 SAR 6.60

3.41%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$3.74 SAR 14.04

-1.07%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$0.78 SAR 2.93

17.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.31 SAR 1.17

12.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.63 SAR 6.14

4.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.01 SAR 3.80

43.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-12.55%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$2.45 SAR 9.18

-8.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$6.92 SAR 25.95

-12.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$7.65 SAR 28.71

-6.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$12.96 SAR 48.65

-25.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.27 SAR 8.50

-7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.58 SAR 5.94

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-17.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.55 SAR 5.82

7.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.24 SAR 4.65

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.26 SAR 4.74

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.23 SAR 4.60

9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.55 SAR 2.05

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

$3.18 SAR 11.94

31.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-8.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.06 SAR 7.74

-3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$7.16 SAR 26.87

10.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-19.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$40.09 SAR 150

0.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$2.70 SAR 10.14

21.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$1.82 SAR 6.81

45.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.64 SAR 2.39

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$26.6K SAR 99.7K

-13.19%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$21.9K SAR 82.4K

-3.14%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$117 SAR 438

$103 SAR 388

12.91%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$38.34 SAR 144

$34.41 SAR 129

11.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$76.1 SAR 286

-16.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$87.2 SAR 327

-18.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 114

$35.10 SAR 132

-13.08%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$15.56 SAR 58.4

-0.13%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$415 SAR 1,559

$358 SAR 1,344

16.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$6,921 SAR 26.0K

18.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$59.0 SAR 221

13.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$60.9 SAR 229

12.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$78.9 SAR 296

15.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$82.3 SAR 309

3.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$442 SAR 1,657

1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$380 SAR 1,427

-1.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$860 SAR 3,228

-7.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$616 SAR 2,312

4.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,914

$2,117 SAR 7,944

-38.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

$1,299 SAR 4,876

-38.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

4.42

-2.04%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ad Dammam: May 30, 2026

Last update for Arar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $442 in Arar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $45.00 in Arar. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $197, with Ad Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ad Dammam vs Arar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Arar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,816 in Ad Dammam and $1,832 in Arar to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $442 in Arar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,210 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,221 in Arar – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 0% less than in Arar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,221 in Arar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Arar. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ad Dammam and Arar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Arar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.